Reece Wheat, 29, broke into multiple pubs and shops in Nottingham and helped himself to thousands of pounds worth of cash and valuables before DNA evidence on discarded Red Bull cans led to his conviction
A hapless burglar has been sentenced to prison after his DNA was discovered on cans of Red Bull he left behind at the scenes of pub burglaries.
CCTV footage captured Reece Wheat, 29, casually sipping the energy drink as he prowled around two pubs. The crook pocketed thousands of pounds in cash and valuables during his raids on both establishments in Nottingham. He even took a moment to enjoy his preferred energy drink before discarding the cans and making his getaway.
Forensic teams from the police collected DNA samples from the cans, which matched Wheat’s profile on the national police database. This evidence linked him to the burglaries that occurred on November 28 and December 1 last year.
Wheat was finally apprehended on December 12 after breaking into a third pub in the city. After emptying the till, Wheat attempted to flee but was spotted and apprehended by officers shortly thereafter.
He faced charges for three counts of burglary and two thefts from a shop in Nottingham city centre on October 26 last year. Whilst in custody, police connected Wheat to five additional burglaries at shops or businesses across Nottingham.
These crimes all occurred between November 25 and December 11 last year, with Wheat pilfering cash, alcohol, and e-scooters. Wheat, formerly of Ripley, Notts. , pleaded guilty to all charges and received a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court.
PC Madison Hayes, of Nottinghamshire Police, stated: “Our officers always look for forensic opportunities when conducting inquiries at the scene of a crime.
“Unluckily for Reece Wheat, whilst conducting such checks at two locations he’d burgled, we found Red Bull cans he’d drank from and then discarded.
“Those discoveries enabled us to forensically link Wheat to the offences, which we then confirmed when we found footage of him walking around the premises sipping the drinks.
“The weight of all this evidence ensured he had no choice but to admit what he’d done, so we’re really pleased to see he’s now received a custodial sentence for his actions.”
